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Glen Afton State Opencast (T. Connolly (Deputy), Mine-manager).—Operations ceased on the 22nd May, the area having been fully exploited. Kemp's State Opencast. Mine, Glen Massey (T. Bigwood (Quarry Certificate), Mine-manager).—-From the working of three thin seams by opencast methods an output of 56,391 tons was produced for the year; this shows an increase of 3,932 tons from the previous year. The stripping-work carried out on the area considerably exceeds the area from which coal has been recovered and at the present time a fairly large tonnage of coal is standing uncovered. Taranaki District Mangapehi State Colliery (H. Quinn (First Class), Mine-manager).—The major effort during the year has been directed towards the completion of pillar-extraction in the Nos. 1 and 2 East Panels. This has now been accomplished and the work of further development of the mine is receiving the undivided attention of the management. In connection with the further development, two dips have been commenced from the No. 2 East Level; these were broken away at approximately 6 chains from the main haidage dip and have been driven for about 300 ft. in a diagonal direction to the No. 2 East Level, and these are in good-quality coal. The No. 2 East Level has been advanced to a distance of 32 chains from the main dip and a new endless-rope haulage system has been installed and is now being successfully operated, power being supplied by means of a 50 h.p. motor. The state of return airways due to floor heave was such that nothing less than complete cleaning up of same would be of much value, this representing a job of major proportions ; however, despite the magnitude the work was tackled and by the end of the year had been largely accomplished, thereby considerably improving the conditions in the mine both from the ventilating of the workings and also providing alternate roadways where walking could be comfortably undertaken. There have been several fires resulting from spontaneous heating, these having been successfully and quickly suppressed with the aid of water applied directly through high-pressure pipe-lines laid on to all the sections of the mine. On one occasion assistance was sought from the Mines Rescuestation, Rotowaro, to combat a serious heating. Tatu State Colliery (W. Farnworth (First Class), Mine-manager).—ln the main the output for the year has been won from development work in the No. 3 South Dip and Nos. 1 and 2 Rise Panel Sections, with only a minor portion procured from pillar-extraction from what is known as the Barrier Pillar Section. The work of development in this mine is seriously hampered due to difficulties existing in the form of two faults preventing the extension of the workings laterally from the Main South Heading haulage road. These two faults, known as the Cunningham and Victory faults, are only about 12 chains apart and running approximately parallel to one another. These represent the boundary-lines between which the development has been carried out. The Victory fault, stated to be a 50 ft. vertical upthrow, is located to the west of the Main South Heading, whilst the Cunningham fault lies to the east and exists as a 20 ft. vertical downthrow fault separating the old workings of Egmont Collieries from the present Tatu workings. In the work of development, two headings to act as transport roads have been driven from the Main South Heading to contact the Cunningham fault, which it is proposed to cross by means of a dip drive into the old Egmont area ; when contact with the coal has been made, the intention is to set back in the coal towards the fault line and secure contact with the Tatu workings by means of an upcast shaft. The Main South Heading represents a diagonal cutting the area between the two faults more or less equally with the face of the headings now in contact with the Victory fault, thus it can be visualized that the limit of development between the confines of the faults has been nearly reached, and to do much more the crossing of the Victory 50 ft. upthrow fault will also require to be undertaken in line with the Main South Headings. This necessitates a rising cross-measure drift of some considerable length to be proceeded with. It has to be recorded that a large amount of reconditioning-work has been carried out during the year, and this has been executed in a most commendable manner. The aforementioned work includes the making of a travelling-road throughout the old No. 1 West Section, the cleaning-up and regrading of the Main South Heading, and also the repair work carried out in the main return airway. In the latter item trouble is experienced due to a weak and heavy roof, with heaving floor conditions making maintenance work more or less continuous and expensive. In an effort to arrest the result of roof movement the manager has introduced arched rail sets, replacing the timber sets, which were being broken shortly after the erection of same, and up to the present his effort seems to be successful. The cleaning-up of the Main South Heading represented a job of major dimensions, as approximately 10 chains of main roadway was more or less completely blocked and, so far as transport was concerned, utterly useless. Due to this condition a circuitous route had to be employed for the haulage of coal, however, with the better condition now prevailing a considerable improvement may be expected in this direction. A better standage for water has been secured at the foot of dip from the surface, there being sufficient sumpage for a two days' growth of water, which is pumped to the surface by means of a two-stage Lee Howl pump motivated by a 30 h.p. motor. Moynihan's Lease, Mangahara, Ohura (D. Moynihan (Deputy), Mine-manager).—Good work has been done on this area, although coal-production has been occasionally retarded due to an insufficiency of water-supply during dry spells. In an effort to eliminate these short stoppages, the storage capacity

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